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March 2017 Road &amp; Trail Conditions

So...with the exception of a couple spots on the RCP trail, pretty much everything I hit this morning was clear (looks like DCDPW plowed the Chain Bridge sidewalk). The C&O went from an ice rink into a mud bog in about 9 hours...totally passable with wide-ish tires and hopefully fenders.

So on the route home, I went from Pentagon City to the Pentagon to Boundary Channel Drive to LBJ Grove (that shoveling of the bridge was amazing - it looks like NPS then salted it (someone did, in pink salt)) to MVT. All clear. MVT was very clear (except for Geese and the "gifts" they leave on the trail) to the GWP crossing and since the MVT looked clear after that, I went for it. There were a few patches of snow with a few tire widths clear, but easily managed. Trollheim, well, a bit of a mushy mess. I was on a hybrid with 700x38 tires. I could slowly ride most of it (in a fat-bike's tire tracks - THANK YOU) and only occasionally Flintstoned. Custis was fine.

If I lived closer to Roosevelt Island and could figure out how to ride with a snow shovel I would have gone back to Trollheim to clear a path given its mushy state and expected freezing tonight.

Warning for tomorrow:
Several moguls next to the bridge to nowhere were full of water, so those will be ice in the morning.
The Spout Run ice rink is likely to live a little closer to its name - water was in several areas and the puddle seemed larger than the ice patch yesterday. Maybe the wind was high enough to encourage sublimation, but be wary.
Trollheim is likely to be a solid mess in the morning, so I will do the Ft Meyer route, but I can cross to the MVT rather than the Wash. Blvd route and ice field.
However, I think an afternoon trip through the MVT will be fine for me.

ART/NE Branch trail is good from Bladensburg marina to Lake Artemesia/UMD. Even the wood bridges clear enough to ride with narrow tires. However, the long boardwalk south of the marina was snow covered. You'd have to walk that bit with narrow tires. Basically if it's asphalt or it gets some sun it's good, but combo of wood and shade still coated with crusty stuff.

There will be lots of refreeze of puddles in the early morning, though. Should be all good by 10am as temps get above freezing.

I went for a run this evening and part of my route included the W&OD from about Route 7 to the Custis Trail junction. The trails looked quite good and are very runnable/ridable. Bridges are still snowy/icy. I marked a couple of possible trouble spots for tomorrow's commute on the attached image.

1. This curve coming out of Banneker Park is one that's fun to take at speed, but there was still some slush and a fairly large puddle as the sun was going down. It'll be below freezing in the AM, so be cautious.

2. There are some sneaky ice patches lurking in the shade below Patrick Henry.

Bridge on S. Washington Blvd. now clear of snow - route between Pentagon and Memorial Bridge now clear.

After last evenings ride I planned this morning to cross over to the MVT at the Memorial Bridge (Take Ft Myer to 110 rather than the expected lumpy Trollheim). This morning I was running a little late and decided the extra time to do that was more than the time to cross the lumpy snow field on that bridge. To my pleasant surprise, it was completely clear! Not sure if it was all due to the sun or the human element was involved too, but that route is now clear.

The bike lanes on Gallows didn't look clear so I came up Sandburg to the W&OD which is entirely clear to the Custis except for the hill down Virginia Lane (but who takes the path there anyway?), Citizens Bridge and a small section by the tennis courts along Shreve (take the gravel which is clear). Small icy spots here there but absolutely rideable by this snow chicken. Spout Run Ice Rink coast-able with a foot unclipped and ready. Came over Key instead of attempting Trollheim and TR Bridge.

TL : DR - Dunn Loring to DC on W&OD/Custis: only had to walk Citizens Bridge.

For some reason, I always thought bikes were not allowed on the Whitehurst. Live and learn.

They probably aren't (freeway), and it seems insane, but I tried it once just to be like the cool kids. Going downhill, timed right, and you can be off that pig before car drivers even know you're there. But I won't be trying it often.